1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to hose fitting assemblies. More particularly, the present invention relates to a tubular coupling designed for use in automotive systems.
2. Disclosure Information
Numerous types of tubular couplings have been described in the prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,055,359 and 4,401,326, assigned to the assignee of the present invention, disclose a quick-connect tubular coupling which permits a fluid-type connection to be made between two fluid-conducting tubes in a relatively short time. Typically, these couplings join together tubing made from steel, aluminum, or other metal alloys. These types of couplings identified in the above patents are known as spring lock quick connect couplings and rely upon the radial force of a garter spring to keep a male and female pipe member together in a leak free environment.
As with most types of fluid couplings, this assembly includes a male portion and a female portion secured together with some fastening mechanism. Fabrication of the coupling members can be quite complex requiring multiple fabrication steps for each of the male and female members. This complexity increases the cost of the assembly. It would therefore be advantageous to provide a coupling assembly which reduces a complexity and therefore the cost of the coupling assembly.